1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of the drilling of wells such as oil and gas wells, and more particularly, relates to methods and apparatus whereby the removal of rock cuttings from a drilling fluid circulation system is improved.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
When a well is drilled with a conventional rotary drilling system, a stream of drilling fluid, commonly referred to as drilling mud, is circulated down through the drill string of the rotary drilling system, out through the rotary bit and then up through the well annulus to carry rock particles or cuttings away from the bottom of the well bore as the well bore is formed.
This stream of drilling mud with the rock cuttings carried therein is then passed through a shaker system for separating the cuttings from the liquid portion of the drilling mud and the very fine particles suspended therein, so that the drilling mud can be reconditioned and recirculated.
Typical prior art drilling systems make no attempt to predict or monitor the size of the cuttings generated during drilling, or to optimize removal of cuttings based upon a prediction or determination of cutting size.